Chapter 28
A Night of Counting Stars (2)
Eugene was desperate.
He kept talking without pause, determined to prove his usefulness.
“What about that one?”
“Lily Downer. Second-year student in the Faculty of Knighthood! Level 32. Completely average, Brother!”
“Then that one?”
“Who? Oh, the black-haired one beside her? Marie Philipson, also a second-year in the Faculty of Knighthood! Level 29. I guess she isn’t very good at studying!”
Ivan looked at Eugene with newfound interest.
To locate the possessors, Ivan had once reviewed the profiles of every undergraduate at Yansk University.
He could not remember every detail, but his long career in the Extermination Unit had made him exceptionally skilled at memorizing personal information.
And now, Ivan realized that Eugene’s accuracy was nearly one hundred percent.
A walking profile page…?
Ivan and Eugene were currently walking through the campus.
With the semester in full swing, the university grounds were crowded with students.
There were plenty of test subjects, allowing Ivan to examine the capabilities of Eugene’s status window in greater detail.
It organizes information he can perceive.
Eugene was, in a sense, like a database with access restrictions.
It showed him information he was currently capable of knowing or accessing.
The target’s level, name, position, and similar details.
To learn anything more specific, however, he needed a greater “understanding” of that individual.
In other words, the closer he became to someone, the more detailed a profile he could access.
Which meant this boy was—
He was practically born for intelligence work.
His background was excellent.
A clergyman from a ducal family.
Within the United Kingdom, there was hardly any nation where his presence would cause trouble.
And if the only condition required to access another person’s high-level information was something as simple as “familiarity,” then it became even easier.
He would not even need to conduct deliberate intelligence operations.
Simply entering high society would allow him to gather information.
There was also another way to exploit this “restricted information access” function.
Eugene’s status window could not identify information that he himself had no means of accessing.
Conversely—
Any information Eugene failed to recognize belonged to a target whose identity could not be discovered at the level of an ordinary student.
And how many people could there possibly be at Yansk University whose identities were beyond the reach of a duke’s son?
In other words, Eugene was—
Specialized in uncovering spies within the university.
After reaching that conclusion, Ivan took Eugene with him and thoroughly searched the entire campus.
As a result, they discovered approximately seven people whose real names differed from the ones listed in their admission documents.
“Their levels are either too high or completely hidden, their names are different, and their positions don’t appear at all.”
“Good.”
Ivan continued walking as he thought.
That was fewer than expected.
There were broadly three groups with reason to plant personnel inside Yansk University.
The Crown Prince’s faction, spies from allied nations of the United Kingdom, or demons.
All three groups would have infiltrated the university for their own purposes, so seven exposed agents was hardly a large number.
The United Kingdom alone consisted of ten nations.
They must have planted agents among the ordinary students as well.
Some might have been raised as operatives from childhood.
Others might have been placed here without even realizing that they were government assets.
Excluding several nations that would likely rely on such methods—
Those with excessively high levels are probably demon collaborators.
The powerful figures among the Crown Prince’s core faction were already under surveillance by the Counterintelligence Command.
Given Princess Elizaveta’s competence, the Crown Prince’s faction could never secretly cultivate powerful individuals.
“Um… Brother. But her real name actually is Yuri. Yuri Frank is correct.”
“That does not matter. You said my name also appears as Ivan.”
“Ah, that’s true. Then how are we supposed to find out?”
“Persuasion.”
Ivan nodded and headed toward the campus courtyard.
Three female students were sitting on a bench beneath the roadside trees, eating sandwiches.
“Oh, Mister!”
“Eek!”
The two sharply contrasting reactions only deepened Ivan’s suspicions.
There was still a strong possibility that Yuri was not a possessor.
Suspecting someone based solely on a name was little more than conjecture.
However, that student’s reaction was undeniably suspicious.
Ivan had been a thoroughly trained operative and was highly skilled at presenting an ordinary appearance.
In other words, anyone who became frightened at the sight of what was clearly the harmless and unremarkable appearance of an ordinary gardener was suspicious.
“Isabel. Have you been well?”
“Ahaha, has it really been long enough for you to ask that? Our first class was only a few days ago!”
“Mm.”
“Have you eaten, Mister? Does anyone make sure you eat? The cafeteria food here is terrible. Would you like this?”
“Ah, ah…”
When Isabel took out a sandwich and handed it to Ivan, Eshidis let out a dismayed sound.
Ivan accepted the sandwich from Isabel, took a bite, and stood before the three girls.
“Ah, you already know this one, right? Yuri Frank. She’s a student in the Faculty of Knighthood. And this is Eshidis. She studies music.”
“Mm.”
“Ahaha, right. Mister, could I speak with you for a moment…?”
Isabel narrowed her eyes at Eugene, who was standing beside Ivan.
She had never seen him before.
Who was he?
Was he another government operative?
“Could the two of us talk privately?”
“Eeeek?! B-Bella, wait!”
Ignoring Yuri’s strange, flustered gestures as she tried to stop her, Isabel walked away with Ivan.
Only after they had moved some distance from the others did she speak.
“I wanted to say this after class, but you suddenly disappeared. Are you out of your mind?”
“What?”
“No, you’re a government operative, Mister. Didn’t we agree to keep that secret between us?”
With a serious expression, Isabel looked around and whispered.
“I don’t know who else Tyles sent besides Sir August, but they must have sent at least one more person. How could you expose yourself so openly in a situation like this?”
“Expose myself?”
“Your abilities! You’re a secret agent, aren’t you?”
Ivan tilted his head and looked down at Isabel.
Even standing perfectly straight, the small girl barely reached his chest.
She lowered her face slightly and repeatedly glanced around before speaking in a tense voice.
“I don’t know what the Krasilov government is hiding here, but I owe you, so… Hmm. Should I try looking into it too?”
“Into what?”
“Oh, come on. The spies Tyles dispatched! I don’t know whether any of them are among the freshmen, but we can try finding them!”
Isabel nodded firmly, her eyes filled with trust.
Ivan looked at her and shook his head.
To betray her homeland so readily—
Did she have no patriotism at all?
Then, after thinking about it for a moment, he realized that he himself had never acted out of patriotism either.
He had never been loyal to the Krasilov monarchy. He had merely respected the late king on a personal level.
“There is no need.”
“Huh? This is a really valuable opportunity. You’ll regret wasting it. Once I graduate, I’m going to rise to a very high position in Tyles, you know? Don’t you manage your human resources? And you call yourself a government agent?”
Just what did this child think the word agent meant?
Ivan knew she had been pampered in the royal court, but was this not far too different from his first impression of her?
He nodded expressionlessly.
“Do as you please.”
“…Your attitude is really bad.”
Isabel shook her head from side to side before suddenly asking,
“By the way, what on earth are they hiding here that has the elves still acting like that?”
She gestured toward the sky with her chin.
More than a week had passed since the new semester began. In other words, nearly a month had gone by since the entrance ceremony.
Yet Calion’s warship remained anchored above Yansk University.
At first, the students had been confused, but by now, most simply dismissed it with, “Elves being elves.”
Ivan, however, found it somewhat strange.
That ship was, after all, a foreign warship.
And Yansk University stood in the middle of the capital.
The Crown Prince might have had some other intention, but Elizaveta would never have tolerated something like this. The royal household and the capital region were firmly within her sphere of influence.
“Who can say? No one knows what goes on inside an elf’s head.”
***
“Well, Sir Veilchest. How did today’s report go?”
“We failed, Your Excellency.”
“I see. Another failure today.”
Onest nodded with a faint, peculiar smile.
“What did the Krasilov monarchy say?”
“They threatened to shoot us down unless we withdrew within three days.”
“They said the same thing three days ago. Ignore them and continue with your work.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
After dismissing the technical officer, Onest remained alone and took out a handkerchief to dab the cold sweat from his brow.
“Why…?”
Every warship underwent a thorough technical inspection before departure.
The Glory of Boile, which he commanded, had been no exception.
Of course, this was not wartime, nor were they heading for the front.
It was merely a show of force—and a mild one at that, not even enough to ignite a diplomatic dispute—so the inspection had only been conducted to peacetime maintenance standards.
Even so, this was a Calion aerial warship.
During the previous war, such vessels had ruled the skies and inspired terror among the demons.
Minor malfunctions could occur, but never before had one suffered a failure serious enough to interfere with navigation.
At that moment, a knock came from beyond the cabin’s bulkhead door.
“Your Excellency, someone has arrived from the Krasilov court.”
“Tell them to return this evening. Did I not say that I had plans this afternoon?”
“I-I did explain that, but…”
A commotion rose from the other side of the door.
The officer’s urgent voice could be heard.
“You cannot do this!”
“This is a diplomatic discourtesy!”
Elves naturally possessed keen hearing, especially within enclosed spaces.
Then came the metallic click of a mechanism and the sound of approaching footsteps.
Sharp heels rang crisply through the interior of the ship.
Realizing who had come, Onest let out a deep sigh.
“Come in.”
“I was planning to.”
The bulkhead door flew open without the slightest courtesy, and a woman appeared beyond it, her beautiful silver hair rippling behind her.
Elizaveta.
The leader of this country’s monkeys.
Onest struggled to control his expression and cleared his throat.
“How rude. Are you aware that a warship constitutes the territory of another nation?”
“Of course. That is precisely why I have refrained from shooting you down despite your hovering in our airspace.”
Elizaveta strode forward confidently and dropped into the seat across from Onest.
The ornate uniform of a Krasilov general gleamed beneath the cabin lights.
When she flicked a gloved hand, the man standing at attention behind her walked forward and opened a black case.
He removed a cigarette, placed it in her hand, and then retreated two steps with perfect formality.
Before Onest could protest the insolence of smoking in the captain’s quarters, Elizaveta’s sharp eyes flashed.
“So tell me. How should we… No. How should I treat you?”
“What…?”
“Our government has already delivered its official position. ‘You have three days.’ But that is not my position. Elf, you must choose one of two options.”
Elizaveta moved her fingertips.
With a hiss of mana, the end of the cigarette ignited.
She inhaled deeply and exhaled.
White smoke seeped from her lips.
For a moment, through the dense cloud rising between them, her violet eyes gleamed like those of a predator.
“First, explain immediately what you are plotting and request our cooperation.”
“And if we refuse?”
“I will send the woodcutter.”
As the smoke dispersed, it revealed the beautiful face of a royal woman wearing a gentle smile.
As though the pressure she had exuded moments ago had been a lie, Elizaveta smiled and continued,
“Fortunately, your country’s warships are made of wood.”
“You insult us…!”
A woodcutter—to an elf?
Within the bounds of diplomatic rhetoric, there could be no greater insult.
As Onest erupted in fury, Elizaveta merely shrugged and rose from her seat.
“An insult, you say? I believe I have heard your answer.”
“You alone cannot represent the will of the monarchy. Do you truly expect to emerge unharmed after this?”
The conflict between the Crown Prince and the Princess was already internationally renowned.
It had gone far beyond a simple struggle for political power. People now spoke of civil war as though it were imminent.
Under such circumstances, was it wise for her to make a complete enemy of one of the United Kingdom’s major powers?
If Calion sided with the Crown Prince, the Princess’s position would inevitably be shaken.
Onest growled with that implication, but the Princess merely smiled faintly.
“To threaten the Minister of the Royal Household in Pritchenkaya itself. What an amusing joke, Captain.”
“Ghh…!”
“And Captain, remember this.”
Elizaveta opened the cabin door and glanced back over her shoulder.
Her violet eyes, resembling those of a bird of prey, flashed.
“I am the will of the royal family.”
***
“Your Excellency, the Foreign Minister is urgently returning to the palace.”
“For a man of royal blood, he is remarkably impatient.”
Elizaveta gave a quiet snort as she walked across the deck.
Her elder brother never failed to behave exactly as expected.
“Proceed according to plan. Summon Vanka.”
“Will you meet him personally?”
“Sir Cherkatov, have I not told you repeatedly? We must reunite at a more appropriate time and in a more appropriate place.”
How utterly lacking in romance.
Elizaveta shot Dmitri a sidelong glance and continued walking.